Vehicle signal



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H. B. WATERS VEHICLE SIGNAL Filed April 9. 1925 Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ice.

HENRY E. WATERS, E ANN AEBOR, MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE SIGNAL.

Y driver of the vehicle. Under existing'traiiic lhis arm beyond the sideregulations in most cities and in accordance with custom the-,driver ofan `automobile usually lextends his hand or arm so as to project beyondthe sideof the vehicle to indicate to drivers of following vehicles hisintentions. Such an action requires that the driver remove one hand fromthe steering wheel so as to render somewhat less'safe the driving of thevehicle.' When theY driver is,

driving a closed car it is impossible for him to conveniently extend hisarm or hand ein teriorly of the vehicle beyond the side thereof.` The'present `invention is intended to provide a mechanical means whichwillobvi'ate thenecessity of the driver projecting of the vehicle for givingsignals. l

It is the objectof the present invention to provide' a hand signalofthis class, which will be simple in structure, economical ofmanufacture, and highly efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a signal arm of thisclass embodying an indicator simulating a hand mounted and adapted tolie close to the side of the vehicle and to be raised into horizontaleX- tending position at the will of the operator.

Another obj ect of the invention is the provision of a housing fornormally containing the hand and provided with a cover manipulated withthe hand.

Other` objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination of the invention mounted upona vehicle` door.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectionalviewl of the invent-i on.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken en sub-A stantially line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4l is a fragmentary side 'elevational view-of a portion of theoperating mecha! nism.

As shown in the drawings the invention Application filed April 9, 1925.Serial N0. -fl'i'f' is designed for mounting on a door 7 of the "vehiclewith which used and comprises a housing with side walls 8 and 9 and arear wall 10 which are preferably formed from -a single 'strip of sheetmetal, the walls S and 9 being spaced apart. `he rear wall secured tothe door 7 with which used by suitable fastening means such Y as rivets,screws or the like. As shown in Fig. 2 a tongue 11 projects from thebase of the rear Ywall 10 and serves to. form a closure for a portion ofthe forward part of the housing at the base thereof. A tongue. 12 alsoprojects from the rear wall l() at the `upper 4end thereof and serves toact as a vclosure for the upper portion of the housing. Mounted upon theframe of the door 7 in any desirable ma'nner so as to be rotatable is asegment 13 having an operating handle ylet adapted to projectbeyond theupper edge of the door 7. rlhe teeth of the segment 13 are adapted tomesh with teeth 15 formed on .the upper end of one 'of the legs of the Ushaped member 16, the bight of the U shaped member being projectedthrough a slot 17 formed inthe door, the other leg of the Ushaped memberbeing provided with teeth 18 adapted to mesh with the teeth onV .flightbulb 21 mounted therein. The arrangement is suchvthat upon a rocking ofthe segment 13, the U-shaped member will be moved downwardly of the door7 so as to cause the hand shaped housing 20 to swing upwardly into theposition shown in Fig. 2. The electric light bulb y21 is connected bysuitable wiring 22 to a spring contact 23 mounted between the walls 8and 9 adjacent the lower end thereof. 'An auxiliary spring contactmember 24 -is connected by the wiring 25- to a suitable source ofelectric energy and so situated 'that when the U member is moveddownwardlyso as to project the hand-shaped` housing 20 outwardly of itscasing, the circuit of the electric light -bulb 21 is closed and thehand shaped housing illuminated. When the hand shaped housing is in itsnormal or depending position, it is engaged between the walls 8 and 9 asshown in Fig. 3. The closing of the circuit takes place with the initialmovement et the hand shaped housing 2O t'roui between the Walls S andfl. Mounted upon the upper side ot the hand shaped housing' Q0 is aCover QG having 'flanges and 2T ufhieh project beyond the sides et thehousing; 2d, se as to engage the edges ot' the alls S and 9 and serve asa Closure :tor the :trent side o'l (he housing eei'nprisfnp; theseWalls. This eoi'er, as shown in Fig. 2, has a forwardly projeeting;portion 28 which extends beyond the liinits ol' the hand shaped housing9.0 and is Curved to contorni to the curvature ot the Walls 8 und The Ushaped ineiuher lo is o'l sueh Weight as to eoiuiterhalanee the l andshaped housing' 2l), so that the housing` 2O will remain in any positionto whieh n'ioifed.

It will. he noted that one the U shaped ineinher 1G is tween the Walls Tand T door and that the hiqht oi this U shaped nieniher is simieientlylonen to permit the lying' ot this lee; in close proximity to the WallT. The purpose ot arra fing the tlshaped ineinher with a higfht ol thisleut'h is to aeeonunodate the deif'iee to use with Closed ear hodies inwhich the upper section oli the Window is accustomed to slidedownifuidly between the Walls 7 and T ot the door.

lu operation the driver. wwhen inteluliuel to signal hy raising the handshaped housine- 2O into the position shown in Fie'. will grasp the upperend ot the arui tlf and pull it toward him, thus rocking the seg'- inentand causing;` longitudinal movement ot ot the legs et positioned heotthe yehiele the U shaped member. The device, as eeustrueted, is aCompact one which, when iuoiinted upon a eer does not diminish. to muygrea ext-ent the lines ot beauty of the ear hotly, and in this mannerthere is proi'ided a` hand signal oil the Class which is durable in itsstructure, eilieient in use, easily operated and quickly and easilymounted in operativeposition on the ear with which used.

@lt is also apparent that the driver ot the vehicle lniows, at alltunes, Whether or not the device is functioning properly.

lllhile l have illustrated and described the preferred forni o'tstructure, l. do not wish to .limit niyselfj to the precise 'torni otstrueture shown. but desire to avail niysell1 ot such variations andn'iodilieations as come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

it iehiole signal el the Class described eouiurisugr a housing; a`signal ineinher piv otedly mounted on said housing; a segment eariied hysaid signal nieinhei :it its uiounted end; a U shaped Ineinher having'teeth termed on one et its legs ttor engaging the teeth ot said segment;teeth formed on the other leg of said, Ll shaped member adjacent the endthereof; a roeknhly mounted seg!- iuent ttor engaging the teeth ou saidother leel ntor effecting longitudinal movement oi l t! shaped member.

ln testimony whereof? I have signed the l'oiegoing speoilieation.

HENRY neurons.

